Adjustable connecting attachment for piano-players.



PATENTBD OGT. 31, 1905.

Rs W: MARTIN. ADJUSTABLE GONNEGTING ATTACHMENT FOR PIANO PLAYERS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.22, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTOR:

W! TNESSES:

No. 803,497. PATENTED OCT. 31, 1905. R. W. MARTIN.

ADJUSTABLE CONNECTING ATTACHMENT FOR PIANO PLAYERS.

' APPLICATION FILED APR.22, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W1 TNESSES:

RODNEY IV. MARTIN, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

ADJUSTABLE CONNECTING ATTACHMENT FOR PIANO-PLAYERS- Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1905.

Application filed April 22, 1905. Serial No- 256.838.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RODNEY WV. MARTIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable ConnectingAttachments for Piano-Players; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and ex act description of the invention, such as willenable any person, as well as those skilled in the art to which itappertains, to make and use the same,.reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an adjustable connecting attachment forpiano-players, or, in otherwords, a means or device of simpleconstruction which may be readily attached to any style of mechanicalpiano-players whereby said player may be firmly, securely, andadjustably connected to the piano (of any ordinary construction) withouthaving any of the parts attached to said piano to mar the appearance ofsame, and thus avoiding the unsightly and objectionable hook-and-eyeconnection commonly used.

Some of the principal objects and advantages of this invention consistin providing an attachment for mechanical piano-players consisting offew parts, simple in construction, and inexpensive in cost ofmanufacture, whereby said player can be readily and easily adjustablyconnected to the piano to be operated without marring or injuring thesame, and a further object being to provide a device as above referredto which will form a rigid and secure connection between the player andpiano and one which will be adjustable to any ordinary style of piano.

My invention consists, referring in general terms to the construction ofmy adjustable connecting attachment for piano-players, of the stationarysupport having the guide and ratchet-teeth, the movable socket portionhaving the pawls and lever, the vertical rod and extension arm, and thevery peculiar and novel arrangement,construction,and combination ofthese various parts, as will be hereinafter described in detail, and setforth in the subjoined claims in accordance with the statutes in suchcases made and provided therefor.

Referring to the annexed drawings, constituting a formal part of thisspecification, and wherein the same letters refer to the same partswherever occurring throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a sideelevation of one of my adjustable connecting attachments forpiano-players with the vertical rod down; and Fig. 2 is a similar view,partially in section and with the vertical rod raised, when adjusted toconnect the player with the piano. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of thestationary support shown in detail. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the movablesocket portion shown in detail; and Fig. 5 is a general view of amechanical piano-player having my device attached thereto and inengagement with a brokenaway portion of a piano, so as to show thepractical application of my invention.

In describing my said invention specifically and referring in detail tothe several parts of my adjustable connecting attachment forpiano-players, as shown throughout the several views of theaccompanyingdrawings and indicated by means of the letters of reference,as aforesaid, A is a stationary support adapted to be suitably andfirmly attached at b by screws to the front of the piano-player andhaving a guide a, which will be more fully referred to hereinafter, andprovided with a series of ratchet-teeth c, said stationary support beingfurther provided with a flange (Z and formed with a slotted opening a,as shown more particularly in Fig. 2, to receive and support socketportion f by means of lug g, having plate 71/, removably connectedthereto by a screw, (see Figs. 2 and 4,) the edges of said plateprojecting on each side of said lug, (see Fig. 4 so as to form a flangeto rest on and engage the recessed edge of slotted opening a, as clearlyshown in Fig. 2, thus permitting of said socket portion to slide or movevertically. Pivotally connected at l: to socket portion fare the pawlsZ, formed by the ends of the bowed portion on, which engageratchet-teeth 0 (see Fig. 1) and retain and hold said socket portion atany height set in approximately the height of the keyboard when firstmoving the player up to the piano in connecting them, as shown in Fig.5, by means of vertical rod N, as shown, which rests in the socket orbore in socket portion f.

Pivotally fulcrumed at a between the lower ends 0 of socket portion fand in alinement with the bore or socket thereof is the small or thumblever O, on which rests the end of vertical rod N, said rod resting inthe bore or socket of said socket portion, as is clearly shown, said rodthence passing up through the eye in guide a and terminating in a flathead or bearing 2), adapted to bear up rigidly and impinge or clingagainst the bottom or under side of the keyboard of the piano andadapted, by means of a set-screw q, to receive and hold firmly and adjustably in position, according to the width of the keyboard of the pianoand the depth of recess in the player for receiving the same, anextension-arm r, bent into a finger s, so as to form a bearing againstthe front edge of the piano, which Will prevent the'sliifting or movingforward of the same, thereby reinforcing the bearing strength at bearing9, thus more securely connecting the player and piano together.

IVhile in Fig. 5 only one of my adjustable connecting attachments forpiano-players is seen near one end on the front thereof, it will ofcourse be obvious and readily understood that there is also another oneof the devices placed in the exact location and same position near theopposite end on the front of said player, as two attachments will besufficient to firmly connect the player to the piano.

In Fig. 1 I have shown the device with the pawls engaging theratchet-teeth so adjusted and with the small lever up, so that itscamshaped end 6 will permit of the vertical rod being down, so that itsbearing 19 will only approximate the height of the bottom of thekeyboard, and in Figs. 2 and 5 I have shown all the parts in thepositions they assume when small lever O is thrown down from itsposition in Fig. 1, thus bringing its cam-shaped end t into engagementwith rod N, so as to raise said rod sufficiently and force its head orbearing 1) up rigidly against the bottom of the keyboard of the piano,this forming a secure connection by means of my improved attachmentbetween the player and the piano.

Having noW described my invention and the device covering the same, WhatI.claim is 1. In an adjustable connecting attachment for piano-players,the combination with the player; of a stationary support; a movablesocket portion adjustably attached to said support; a vertical rodsupported by said socket portion; and an arm carried by said verticalrod; all substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. In the lierein-referred-to device and in combination with the player;a stationary su pport provided with teeth; a movable socket portionprovided with a bore or socket and having means for adjustably engagingthe teeth of said stationary support; a rod adapted to rest in said boreor socket; and an arm supported by said rod; all substantially asdescribed.

3. In a connecting attachment for pianoplayers, the combination with theplayer; of the support attached to said player and provided with aseriesof ratcllet-tceth; the socket portion adjustably connected to saidsupport and provided with paWls for engaging the ratchet-teeth thereof;the vertical rod having a bearing and adapted to be supported by saidsocket portion, and vertically adjusted thereby; and the extension-armsupported by said vertical rod; all substantially in the manner and forthe purposes described.

4. The combination in the attachment for piano-players as hereinreferred to; of a support adapted to be attached to said player andformed with a series of teeth; a socket portion adjustably connected tosaid support and formed with a bore, and having a lever pivotallyfulcrumed thereto; a rod having a bearing adapted to rest in said boreand be raised by means of said lever; and an extension-arm supported bysaid rod; all substantially in the manner and for the purposesdescribed.

5. In an adjustable connecting attachment for piano-players, thecombination with the player; of the stationary support provided Withmeans for guiding the rod; and means for engaging with and supportingthe socket portion; the socket portion having a bore or socket, andprovided with means for adjustably engaging with said support, andprovided with means for raising the vertical rod; the vertical rodhaving a bearingseat; and the extension-arm adjustably supported by saidvertical rod; all substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RODNEY I/V. MARTIN.

Witnesses:

F. F. HoRs'riIANN, BERNARD B. EWALD.

